Our Favorite Happy Chic Homes

“My happy-chic home started with a lucky furniture acquisition,” says Andrew of his furniture inheritance from his grandmother. Lucky is right; “Mama II” is described as “a former ballet teacher with a penchant for the dramatic, she loved mid-century design, enormous floral patterns and fuchsia mohair.” Grandma may have laid the furniture foundation but it is Andrew’s ability to blend her history with his own flair that makes this home says, “Chic!”.

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JESSICA THOMAS; Des Moines, IA

When Jessica began decorating her 1958 condo, she let “Mid-Century Barbie” guide her aesthetic. Feminine and poppy without a doubt, this apartment puts the happy in chic.

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GEORGE MARRONE; Aston, PA

An avid collector of things old and new, George knew minimalism would never do. Stark modern interiors seemed to dominate the design scene but once he discovered Jonathan Adler’s work, “, “I was like ‘wow, someone gets it’,” says the happy chic homeowner;“ I had never heard of the term ‘maximalist’, but I knew that’s what I was looking for.”

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CHRISTIE CHASE; Houston, TX

We had to commend this contestant, not only for her chic interiors, but for her gold star essay presentation. Christie spelled out “HAPPINESS IS SO CHIC” vertically and used each letter as a cue for thoughts on Adler’s style. It reminded us of happy times card-making during grade school and we just had to share . . . C ollected items from faraway, or nearby (like my neighbor's trash) have earned me a packrat monikerH omemade, handicraft, beloved tchochtkes brighten my rooms and my heartI f I'm feeling blue, I turn on every lamp in a room for a warm, toasty glowC at hair should count as one of my many collections, but my Munny's are my fav

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KRISTINA GOULD; Los Angeles, CA

As a Maximalist born in a small, conservative New England town, Kristina says she moved to California to, “set her style free, to live a life of sunshine, a life in color.” From the looks of her patio, she has fulfilled her mission. And anyone who goes as far as decorating their hedges, is happy chic in our book.

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MIRANDA MURRAY and JON BARTHMUS; Philadelphia, PA

With personal style at its best, this home is a mix of eclectic accessories and handcrafted furniture (can you believe, Jon made this book and record shelf?). This vignette is set against a painted wood paneling; it was originally a heavy brown color but the soon-to-be married couple saved it from the seventies by covering it with a warm white.

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CAREY MCGUIRE WARMAN; Ludlow, KY

If you had doubts, Carey’s home is proof that design is alive and well in Ludlow, Kentucky. Carey proclaims she is inspired by art in whatever form she happens to see it: “[her] dad’s paintings, a French guy’s illustrations, pencil sketches, tin soda signs, print press letters, bonsai-d bushes, severed doll heads, design books heavy on the photos, even [Jonathan Adler’s] multi-boobied pottery.” This love of design, ‘prestigious’ or not, gives this home an inspiring edge.

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AMIE CORLEY; St. Louis, MO

Amie got a mention in our blogs partly because she turned her submission in much earlier than the rest of the group, but most importantly because, as Jonathan Adler cheered, “This happy home is about those unexpected and memorable gestures that are both fancy and playful with bold color and layers of pattern and texture. . . Our chic entrant, Amie, fully embraces Maximalist merriment!”

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MARY MARGARET STRATT; Las Vegas, NV

Talk about character! Mary and her husband (who were also mentioned in the blogs) not only live with Adler’s style in mind, they dress the part! And Jonathan agrees, “This home is well-dressed in its space, a cohesive blend of its environment, Las Vegas, and its homeowners' personal style. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Chicness is about your own style, and this includes, as we find in this home, a stack of fave board games in the well-edited boudoir, or a color pop in every room.”

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